Controller.



' PATENTED MAY 5, 1908.

G. B. SOHLEY.

CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. S1, 1906 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 7n: NORRIS PETERS 60-, WASNINGTON,-D. c

v PATEN'I'ED MAY 5, 1908.

G. B. SGHLEY. CONTROLLER. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 31, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE B. SOHLE'Y, OF NORWOOD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO ALLIS-CIIALMERS COMPANY, A COR- PORATION OF NEW JERSEY, AND THE BULLOCK ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY,

A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

CONTROLLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 5, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGEB. SoHLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norwood, in the county of Hamilton and. State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Controllers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to starting controllers for electric motors, and particularly to de-: vices for rendering such controllers fool-proof.

from being moved backward from a run-- ning to a starting position, or from an off position directly to a running posi tion., while allowing a backward movement of the controller from any starting position. It is possible however for controllers such as these to be left in a starting position indefinitely instead of being moved to a running position as soon as the motor has gained suflicient speed. As the various windings which are connected in circuit when the controller is in a starting position may not be proportioned to carry current continuously but only for a brief period during starting, the result of leaving the controller indefinitely in a starting position may be to cause such windings to be burned out.

In the co-pending application of Herbert IV. Cheney Serial No. 324,128, filed June 30,

1906, a device is shown whereby it is made impossible for an operator to leave the controller .in a starting position, arrangements being made whereby the controller is automatically moved backward to off position if it is released by the operator while it is in a starting position.

My present invention is intended to be an improvement on the device set forth in said application, and is especially applicable to the larger sizes of controllers where it would perhaps be undesirable to have a spring which, while necessarily strong enough to move the controller, must he put under strain by the operator in the same movement which operates the controller. Moreover with my arrangement there is no sudden diminution of the resistance to be overcome by the operator as the controller is moved to a running position, and therefore no tendency to involuntarily overrun such position.

In one aspect my invention consists of a controller unbiased while properly held by the operator, but biased toward off position when released by the operator in a predetermined position.

In a more specific aspect my invention consists of a controller for an electric motor, comprising a rotatable drum, contact lingers cooperating therewith, an operating handle for said drum, a spring which exerts no influence on said drum except when the operating handle is released while the controller is in a predetermined position, when it tends to move said controller to off position.

Other features of my invention will appear hereinafter and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is a partial section on the line 1-l of Fig. 2, the controller being in off position; Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged partial sec tion on the line 33 of Fig. 4, the controller handle being pulled. out to its limit of movement and turned through 90; Fig. 4. is a partialfront elevation of the controller of Fig. 1, the parts being shown in off posi tion. Fig. 5 is a view showing the cutaway disk for locking and releasing the handle-returning device; and Fig. 6 is a development of the notched ring shown in Fig. 3.

The details of the starting controller proper will not be fully described or shown herein because they form no part of the present invention and are unnecessary to an understanding thereof. For what does not appear in the following description, reference is made to the aforesaid co-pending application.

Referring now to the figures of the drawings 10 is the controller casing within which is a controller drum A of any desired construction. The operating mechanism here shown is especially designed for a controller drum having duplicate halves, respectively 'co-acting with two sets of diametrically opposite contact fingers during one complete operation of the controller and with the opposite sets during the next complete operation thereof. Such a controller has duplicate off, starting and running posi- I which is such that the plunger 23 may be tions as indicated in Fig. 4. The controller here shown passes through but one starting position between the ofi and the running positions, though any desired number of starting positions may be used. In the arrangement shown analogous positions are 180 apart. The particular construction and arrangement of the controller drum, however, forms no part of my invention, which is equally applicable to controllers having but one off and one running position with any desired number of starting positions between them.

The controller drum A is driven from an operating shaft 11 in any desired manner as through gears 12. The shaft 11 is journaled in a bearing 13, here shown integral with the frame or casting 10. Mounted on the outer end of the shaft 11 is the operating handle 14, which, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 4, is secured at its center to said shaft and is provided with two hand grips and 16. As here shown the handle 14 is vertical when the controller is in off position. The shaft 11 carries a collar 17. The distance between this collar and the base of the handle 14 is slightly greater than the length of the bearing 13, so that there can be a slight longitudinal movement of the shaft 11. A leaf-spring 18 normally maintains the shaft and its attached parts in their innermost position (see Fig. 2) from which they can be moved outwardly by pulling out the handle 14 until the collar 17, spring 18 and the bearing 13 are all in contact (see Fig. 3).

Integral with the frame 10 and surrounding the shaft 11 and bearing 13 is a ring 19. This ring is provided with three pairs of notches and 20 21 and 21 and 22 and 22, the notches of each pair being located diametrically opposite each other.- These notches are adapted to be engaged by a sliding pawl or plunger 23 pressed by a spring 24 into engagement therewith. The plunger 23 is mounted in an extension 25 from the handle 14. This extension also serves as a pointer to indicate the position of the controller, there being another extension 26 which also serves as a pointer and may or may not contain a spring-pressed plunger similar to 23. The three pairs of notches above referred to indicate respec tively the off, starting and running positions of the controller.

The ring 19 is constructed so that between certain of the notches, as between 21 and 22, 22 and 20 21 and 22*, and 22 and 20, ratchet teeth are formed to prevent backward movement of the controller, while be tween the remaining notches lower ratchet teeth facin in the other direction are formed. All of the notches on that side toward the next position in a forward or clockwise direction are of the same height,

lifted over said sides by pulling out the handle 14 to its limit of movement. The notches 21 and 21 have that side toward the next position in the backward. or counterclockwise -direction cut away to form the low sides of the low ratchet teeth; while the notches 20, 22, 20 and 22 have the side toward the next backward position of such height that the plunger 23 cannot be lifted to clear them by pulling out the handle 14 to allow a backward movement, but can be raised over them, compressing the spring 24, in the forward movement by the inclinedplane action of the surfaces approaching said notches in a forward or clock-wise direction. W'ith the arrangements just described a controller can be moved forward from any position upon pulling out the handle 14. From the off and running positions, backward movement is impossible because of the height of the rear sides of the notches 20, 22, 20 and 22. From the starting positions backward movement is possible without pulling out the handle 14.

Mounted on the shaft 11 is another collar 27 having projections 28 and 29. A lever 30 is pivoted at 31 and is so arranged that its free end travels through the same path as the projections 28 and 29. The lever 30 is biased toward the right (Fig. 1) by a spring 32, its movement in this direction being limited by a stop 30, and may be moved toward the left against the spring 32 by a handle 33. The lever 30 carries a spring latch 34 arranged to be engaged by a latch 35 when said lever is moved to the position shown. in

full lines in Fig. 1, to hold the lever in such position against the action of the spring 32. A spring 36 tends to move the latch 35 out of engagement with the latch 34. A sliding rod 37 is attached to the latch 35, the other end of the rod 37 engaging a cut-away disk 38 carried by the shaft 11 but longitudinally movable relatively thereto. A spring 39 normally presses the disk 38 against the collar 27. By means of grip levers 40 adjacent to the grips 15 and 16 and connected to the disk 38 through links 41 and bell-crank levers 42, the disk 38 may be moved along the shaft 11 to the right (Fig. 2), against the action of the spring 39. This movement is preferably greater than that due to the longitudinal movement of the shaft 11 caused by pulling the handle 14 bodily outward.

The disk 38 is cut away, as best shown in Fig. 5, to form a continuous ring 43 and a notched ring 44 having notches 45. Unless the grip levers 40 are pressed, the end of the rod 37 bears against the ring 44 whether the handle 14 is in its normal position or pulled out. If the grip levers 40 are pressed the end of rod 37 bears against the ring 43 whether the handle 14 is in its normal position or pulled out. The ring 44 is not cut-away at the off or the running position, but is cut away at the starting positions and around nearly to the oil and running positions on either side of the respective starting positions as shown. The places on the disk 38 where the end of rod 37 en gages it in the various controller positions are indicated. in Fig. 5.

The operation of the device is as follows-: l/Vhen the controller is in off position and the lever 30 has not been set, the end of said lever is directly in the path of the projection 28 or 29 and prevents forward movement of the drum. Backward movement of the drum is prevented by the high sides of the notch 20 or 20. Thus before moving the controller it is necessary to set the lever 30 by moving the handle 33 to the right (Fig. 1) and causing the latches 34 and 35 to engage to hold said lever in such position. At this time the end of the rod 37 engages that part of the ring 44 which is not cut-away. If the lever 30 is set, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the controller may be moved forward or in a clockwise direction after first drawing out the handle 14 to raise the plunger 24 above the low side ofone of the notches 20 or 20. In thus drawing out the handle 14 it is natural to press or squeeze the levers 40, thus moving the disk 38 to bring the ring 43 under the end of the lever 37. WVhen the controller is moved into starting position the ring 43 slides under the end'of the rod 37 and brings the notches 45 adjacent to said rod. But the rod does not drop into said notches as long as the grip levers 40 are firmly grasped by the operator. Upon reaching the starting position the operator may let the handle 14 slide inward but must maintain his grasp upon the grips 15 and 16 together with the grip levers 40. At this time there is no ten dency for the controller to move backward or forward. It the operator releases the grip levers 40 when the controller is in starting position, or does not press them in moving forward. from the "ofl position, the end of rod 37 drops down into the notches 45, and the latches 34 and 35 separate to allow the spring 32 to move the lever 30 to the right (Fig. 1). In this movement the lever- 30 strikes the projection 28 or 29 and carries the controller backward to off position, from which it cannot be moved again until the lever 30is reset. In this automatic backward movement of the controller the end of the rod 37 rides up the inclined plane at the end of the notch 45. If the operator does not release his grasp on the grips 15 and 16 and the grip levers 40 while the controller is in starting position, but after a sufficient time again pulls out the handle 14 and moves the controller forward to the running position, he can then release the handle 14 entirely. When the handle is thus released with the controller in running position,

the end of rod 37 slides from the ring 43 to the portions of the ring 44 which are not cut away and so the lever 30 is not released. On pulling out the handle 14 the controller may now be moved forward from the running position to the oii position to disconnect the motor or other apparatus to be controlled. From the ofi position, the cycle above de scribed may be repeated. The controller cannot be moved backward from either the oil' or the running positions because of the high side of the notches corresponding to such positions.

With my invention there is no tendency for the controller to move backward as long as the operator properly grasps the handle, nor does the operator have to overcome the tension of a spring strong enough to move the controller backward to off position. Moreover there is no sudden diminution in the opposition to the forward movement of the controller as it reaches the running position and so there is no tendency to overrun such position.

Many modifications may be made in the precise arrangements herein shown and described and all such which come within the spirit and ,scope of my invention I aim to cover in the following claims.

What I claim as new is 1. A controller unbiased while its operating handle is properly grasped by the operator, but biased toward. o'ii' position when its operating handle is released by the operator when the controller is in a "starting position.

2. A controller for electric motors, comprising fixed and movable contacts, and an operating handle, said movable contact being unbiased except when its operating handle is released with said contact in a predetermined position, when it is biased toward oil position.

3. In a controller, contact fingers, a rotatable drum co-acting therewith, said drum having oii starting and running positions, an operating handle for said drum, and a spring which tends to move said drum to off position when the handle is released when the drum is in starting osition but exerts no influence on said crum when the latter is in other operative positions.

4. In a controller, contact fingers, a rotatable drum cooperating therewith, said drum having 01'', starting and running positions, an operating handle for said drum, and a spring which tends to move said drum to oil position only when the handle is released when the drum is not in oil or running position.

5. In a controller, contact fingers, a rotatable drum cooperating therewith, an operating handle for said drum, and a spring which tends to move said drum to oil position only when the handle is released when the drum is in predetermined positions.

6. In a controller, a rotatable drum, fiXed contact with which said drum cooperates, an operating handle for said drum, and means whereby said drum is biased toward oil position when said handle is released in certain operative positions of said drum, but is unbiased when in certain other operative positions and when said handle is not released in the first mentioned positions of said drum.

-7. A controller for electric motors comprising a rotatable drum, fixed contacts 00- o erating therewith, and an operating hand e for said drum, said drum being biased towart off position when said handle is released with said drum in any starting position, but unbiased in running posi tion and also in the starting position when said handle is not released.

8. A controller biased towart 'ofl' position when its operatimg handle is released with the controller in a predetermined position, but unbiased when its operating handle is not so released.

9. A controller for electric motors, comprising a rotatable drum, contact fingers co operating therewith, means for preventing backward movement of said drum from the oil and running positions, an operating handle for said drum, and a spring which has no tendency to move the drum when the drum is in off or running position or when said handle is held by the operator when the drum is in any other operative posit-ion, but which tends to move said drum to oil position when said handle is released by the operator when the drum is in any of said other operative positions.

10. A controller for electric motors, comprising a rotatable drum, contact fingers cooperating therewith, means for preventing backward movement of the drum from cer tain positions, an operating handle for said drum, and a spring which tends to move the drum to off position only when the handle is released when the drum is in a position from which it may be moved backward.

11. A controller for electric motors, comprising a rotatable drum, contact fingers cooperating therewith, an operating handle for said drum, a collar movable with said drum, a projection from said collar, and a springpressed lever which travels in the same path as said projection and is arranged to engage it to return the drum to oil position only when said handle is released in predetermined positions of said drum.

12. A controller for electric motors, comprisinga rotatable drum, contact fingers co operating therewith, an operating handle for said drum, a collar movable with said drum,

in a starting position, and a latch which holds said spring-pressed lever out of the path of said projection when the drum is in a running position.

13. A controller for electric motors, comprising a rotatable drum normally movable always in the same direction, an operating handle for said drum, means for preventing backward movement of said drum from ofl' or running position, and means which tend to move said drum backward to off position only when said handle is released when said drum is in other than off or running position.

14. A controller for electric motors, comprising a rotatable drum, contact fingers c0- operating therewith, an operating handle for said drum, a collar movable with said drum, a projection from said collar, and a springpressed lever which travels in the same path as said projection and is arranged to engage it to move the drum to off position if said handle is released when said drum is in a starting position, the lever and the projection being so arranged that movement of the drum from off position is prevented unless said lever is moved out of the path of said projection.

15. A controller for electric motors, comprising a rotatable drum, contact fingers cooperating therewith, an operating handle for said drum, a spring-pressed lever, and means for locking said lever with the spring under tension save when the handle is released with said drum in a starting position, said lever being arranged when unlocked to move the drum to off position.

16. A controller for electric motors, comprising a rotatable drum, contact fingers 00- operating therewith, an operating handle for said drum, a spring-pressed lever, and means for locking said lever with the spring under tension save when the handle is released when said drum is in a starting position, said lever being arranged to move the drum to off position upon being unlocked and to prevent movement of the drum from off position when unlocked.

17.. A controller for electric motors, comprising a rotatable drum, an operating handle for said drum, means which tend to move said drum to oil' position when said handle is released when said drum is in certain positions, and means for locking said returning means when the handle is not released when said drum is in said positions.

18. A controller for electric motors, comrising a rotatable drum, an operating handle tor said drum, means which tend to move said drum to ofi'" position when said handle is released with the drum in certain positions, on said drum except when the operating and means for locking said returning means handle is released while the drum is in a prewhen the handle is not released wlth said determined position, when it tends to move drum in said positions, the returning means said drum to off position.

5 when not locked being arran ed to prevent In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature, 15

movement of the drum from off position. in the presence of two witnesses.

19. A controller for an electric motor, com- GEORGE B. SCHLEY. prising a rotatable drum, contact fingers co- WVitnesses: operating therewith, an operating handle for RUBY RoBINsoN,

.10 said drum, a spring which exerts no influence FRED J. KINsEY. 

